Joinville police investigate goat abuse after video surfaces

The Civil Police of Joinville, in the state of Santa Catarina, are investigating an incident of animal cruelty after video footage surfaced showing a goat being forced to consume an unidentified liquid and smoke a cigarette. The incident occurred during an event on Sunday, October 6.

In the footage, a man is seen holding the animal by a rope while offering it a cup of liquid. Following this, a woman is seen placing a cigarette in the goat's mouth. The case was brought to authorities by the animal protection NGO Flada Joinville, which filed a police report.

One man involved has been identified and summoned to testify, while investigators work to identify the woman and other participants. Authorities are also attempting to locate the goat to assess its health and plan to analyze the contents of the liquid provided to the animal.

Under current Brazilian legislation, more severe penalties for animal cruelty are specifically reserved for dogs and cats. Consequently, the incident involving the goat is being treated as a lesser offense and will be processed through the Special Criminal Court. The Public Prosecutor's Office is monitoring the investigation.